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The Voice for Baloch Missing Persons (VBMP) has demanded the swift release of two Baloch students who have been unaccounted for more than two weeks following their reported detention by Pakistani security forces.
Mahjabeen Baloch, a Library Science major at the University of Balochistan, and her brother Muhammad Younus Baloch, an engineering student at Khuzdar University, were allegedly apprehended in separate operations in late May. As per The Balochistan Post, VBMP Chairman Nasrullah Baloch characterised the detentions as "illegal, unconstitutional, and a serious breach of human rights." "It has now been over two weeks since Mahjabeen was forcibly taken," he stated. He said, "She has not been presented in any judicial proceeding, nor has her family been informed about her location." Mahjabeen, a polio survivor with a visible disability, had been temporarily residing at Quetta Civil Hospital due to a lack of accommodation in her university dormitory. She was reportedly apprehended during a coordinated raid involving police, Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD) officials, and other security personnel, The Balochistan Post reported. Her brother, Muhammad Younus Baloch, was abducted from their home in Basima during a nighttime raid on May 24, five days before Mahjabeen's disappearance. Nasrullah Baloch stated that VBMP will continue to advocate for the safe return of the siblings through peaceful demonstrations and legal channels. VBMP stated, "If there are any allegations against Mahjabeen, she should be brought before a court and allowed to defend herself," he mentioned. "However, detaining her and her brother in secret violates both domestic and international laws." He called on the public to raise awareness about the case and to utilise social media to amplify their voices. "If we remain silent, it will equate to complicity," he remarked. "This issue extends beyond one family; it concerns justice for the entire Baloch community." VBMP reaffirmed its commitment to continuing its campaign until the siblings are either released or brought to court. According to The Balochistan Post, the enforced disappearance of the siblings has drawn widespread condemnation from civil society and human rights organisations. The Baloch Women Forum (BWF) described Mahjabeen's abduction as part of a "systematic campaign of violence against Baloch women." The human rights division of the Baloch National Movement, Paank, labelled it an assault on academic freedom and a component of a larger "culture of impunity." Amnesty International also brought attention to Mahjabeen's situation, cautioning that the practice of enforced disappearances "contradicts Pakistan's international human rights commitments." In its statement, Amnesty International urged Pakistani authorities to undertake "prompt, thorough, and effective investigations," reveal the whereabouts of the two students, and guarantee their immediate release. (ANI)
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